Friday, October 22, 1999 Published at 23:15 GMT 00:15 UKWorld: EuropePapon behind barsMaurice Papon collapsed after his arrest in SwitzerlandFrench war criminal Maurice Papon is spending his first night behind bars in a prison near Paris - after being after being expelled from Switzerland.

Papon's flight from justice was made possible by a controversial decision by a Bordeaux court at the beginning of his trial in 1997, when it accepted medical testimony that he was in poor health and freed him for the duration of his trial and appeals process.

Under French law, Papon had to report to prison before the start of his appeals hearing. The appeal is automatically rejected if the appellant does not report to prison before the
hearing.

Arrest welcomed

Papon is the highest-ranking official of the pro-Nazi Vichy government to be convicted of crimes against humanity during World War II.